• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Landlords responsibility?

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

Mamie

Member
What is the name of your state? Virginia

To clarify, I am posting for my friend.

Okay, the deal is my friend has been stalked by a man for close to a year now. The man escalated and tried to break into the condo she was renting one night. He broke two windows. My friend paid for the windows to be replaced because she might get reimbursed, but was told by numerous people that it was really her landlords responsibility. Is this true that it should have been the landlords responsibility to fix the windows?

The landlord has now sent her a bill for replacing ALL of the blinds in the condo (when only 1 was not in perfect condition from the windows being broken). And is stating that the oven was dirty and carpet needs to be cleaned and they will send her the bill for that too. And she did clean before she left.

Is there anything she can do?
 


Andy0192

Member
What if the landlord was unable to buy just one of the blinds? ( because the style or color is no longer available.) Does that mean the landlord should be responsible to purchase the other 4 ? The landlord did not break the windows, so how can the landlord be responsible for replacing them?

Does your friend have pictures of the apartment after she was done cleaning & ready to move out? Can she prove the oven was clean, or that the carpets were spotless & did not need cleaning?

-Andy
 

Mamie

Member
The blinds were purchased from Next Day blinds and are still in stock.

The tenant did not break the windows either but paid for over $400 to replace them. Someone trying to break in did break them, *I* would assume that the landlord is responsible. The furnace went out in my place, granted no one vandalized it, but my landlord paid to have it fixed.

I don't know if she took pictures or not, I will ask. I do know that she put a security deposit down (I'm not sure how much) but just researching right now I saw that interest is accrued on it.
 

Mamie

Member
Maybe I just answered my own question, but I found under VA law it says that "The landlord shall make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a clean and structurally safe condition."
 

Alaska landlord

Senior Member
I just had a tenant vacate on Sunday and claimed to have spent the whole day cleaining.
I had my manager put in 4 hours cleaning the oven, refrigerator and bathroom. This is very typical many tenants.
 

Mamie

Member
I just had a tenant vacate on Sunday and claimed to have spent the whole day cleaining.
I had my manager put in 4 hours cleaning the oven, refrigerator and bathroom. This is very typical many tenants.

I don't know how clean the place was, she did say she cleaned and as my friend I do believe her. I do know that other people have other standards of cleanliness. Having been to her condo before, the carpet was very old and frayed. IMO, I would say it was time for the landlord to replace it anyway.

Alaska Landlord, what would you do if one of your tenants apartments was broken into?
 

Alaska landlord

Senior Member
If a police report was filed and the offender was not a friend, guest, police or acquaintance of the tenant I would pay structural damages.
 

Mamie

Member
If a police report was filed and the offender was not a friend, guest, police or acquaintance of the tenant I would pay structural damages.

Yes, a police report was filed and this person is a stalker. They've been barred off the property and my friend has a restraining order against him before he tried to break in. The stalker is currently in a pysch ward. Thanks for your opinion.
 

Cvillecpm

Senior Member
TENANT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS *

VA law is misquoted as the landlord/tenant agreement can switch/transfer liability for most issues and since the landlord did not do the damage, the tenant must have caused the damage since they have custody, care and control of the property. Tenant should repair and file under their renter's insurance with proof via police report....
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top